Dutch Company Not Prosecuted for Israeli ‘Wall’

THE HAGUE, 15/05/13 - Crane-leasing company Riwal of Dordrecht is not to be prosecuted for its contribution to the construction of the controversial encirclement by Israel around the Palestinian territories. The Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) announced Tuesday that the case will not be investigated any further because Riwal has taken ‘far-reaching steps’ to wind down the work in the occupied territories. Additionally, the contribution by Riwal is small, according to the OM. The International Court of Justice in The Hague considers the building of the Israeli ‘protective construction’ a violation of international humanitarian law. The Palestinian organisation Al Haq took Riwal to court in 2010 for crimes against humanity and war crimes. According to the OM, Riwal, which operates internationally as Lima Holding, leased cranes and cherry pickers, which were used in the construction. This equipment was used on a one-off basis for a few days, says the OM. Dutch companies are not allowed to be involved in violating the International Crimes Act or the Geneva Conventions (war law). The OM cannot say whether the use of Riwal equipment constitutes such a violation; more investigation would be necessary for his. But the OM is not doing such an investigation, because Riwal has been in the process of ending the activities in Israel since Al Haq took it to court.